Annual photograph of the Last Man Club. The 21st reunion of the American Legion Edward B. Rhodes Post No. 2's Last Man Club occurred in the Peter Puget room of the Olympus Hotel on November 10, 1958. Each year the club met at varying locations in Tacoma for a reunion banquet. View of members posing with flags; flags draped over empty seats signify respect for deceased commanders. There would be one more flag-draped chair in memory of A. Walter Olson who died earlier in 1958. (TNT 11-9-58, A-19)

American Legion Edward B. Rhodes Post No. 2 (Tacoma); American Legion Club (Tacoma); Patriotic societies--Tacoma--1950-1960; Flags--United States; Last Man Club (Tacoma);

Nativity display at Panther Woodworking. Douglas Fir Plywood Association set up a Christmas nativity scene for the do-it-yourselfer at George Panther's Woodworking on East 26th St. prior to the Christmas decorating season. These patterns were made of fir plywood and came with easy to follow instructions. After cutting out the patterns, they would need to be painted. Customers were urged to order their patterns at this location. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Woodworking--Tacoma--1950-1960; Christmas decorations; Creches (Nativity scenes)--Tacoma; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

A Hillhaven of Lakewood nurse stands by a wheeled chair as she waits for her patient to finish bathing. The modern bathroom is nicely decorated in tile for easier cleanups. A half-wall protects the privacy of the bathers. Towel racks are hung at a convenient level for patients to grab. There is a large window for ventilation with frosted glass for privacy. Hillhaven of Lakewood was a nursing home located on Steilacoom Blvd. Photograph ordered by the Condon Co.

Bathrooms--Lakewood--1950-1960; Hillhaven of Lakewood (Lakewood); Nursing homes--Lakewood;

Buchan's Baking Co. employees stand beneath a newly erected sign mounted on the exterior of the bakery's brick building on South 38th & Yakima Ave. Buchan's heavily advertised their "Bonnie Good Bread Baked in Tacoma" in its familiar tartan wrapping. It was white enriched bread. These men pictured on October 11, 1958, were in all likelihood part of the Buchan's delivery staff. They are neatly dressed in dark uniforms with bowties and white shirts. The man on the extreme right, front row, is probably Alan G. Buchan, bakery owner. Photograph ordered by Buchan's Baking Co.

Buchan's Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Signs (Notices);

Buchan's Baking Co. had recently erected a new sign on their brick building at South 38th & Yakima Ave. Twenty-two men assembled beneath the sign on October 11, 1958, for a group portrait. All the employees, with the exception of the man on the extreme right first row, wore neat uniforms, white shirts and bowties. Each uniform had the company name on a label above a chest pocket. The suited man may have been Alan Buchan, company owner. Buchan's had a large fleet of delivery trucks; it is likely that these men were the bakery's drivers. Photograph ordered by Buchan's Baking Co.

Buchan's Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Signs (Notices);

It's not too soon to start decorating a business for Christmas, it appears, as these men are in the midst of trimming a seven foot tree on November 26, 1958. These are possibly employees of a Puget Sound National Bank branch. All seem to be having a good time, sharing large grins. The Condon Co., an advertising agency, furnished the tree and decorations. Photograph ordered by the Condon Co.

Christmas decorations; Condon Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Six employees of the Winthrop Hotel's Sabre Room pose for a group picture on November 12, 1958. The waitresses are dressed in Old English costume as the restaurant featured Elizabethan dishes, focusing on beef. Heavy wooden beams and panels and plain furniture accentuated the Old World atmosphere. The women stand before an Oak Room sign; this may have been a separate dining room contained within the Sabre Room. The Winthrop Hotel was now part of the Western Hotels, Inc., chain. This, and other photographs taken that day, were scheduled to be published in a magazine. Photograph ordered by the Winthrop Hotel.

Dining rooms--Tacoma--1950-1960; Waitresses--Tacoma; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

Hillhaven of Lakewood was part of the Hillhaven, Inc.'s chain of nursing homes. It was located at 5515 Steilacoom Blvd. and managed by Chuck Gillet. View of nurse/receptionist at the telephone; she may have been examining an appointment book or patient chart. Hillhaven of Lakewood was a 56-bed facility, employing about 40, which opened in October, 1956. As with all Hillhaven nursing homes, it was a one-story unit. There were wide corridors and doorways, air conditioning, convenient hospital beds, and no steps. Hillhaven of Lakewood was built by the Jardeen Brothers. Photograph ordered by the Condon Co. (Northwest Room Clipping files - TNT 10-7-56)

Hillhaven of Lakewood (Lakewood); Nursing homes--Lakewood;

A patient appears to be presenting a pamplet, "Voice for Health," to the receptionist at Dr. A.A. Adams' office on December 16, 1958. Dr. Adams offered chiropractic services at his South 52nd and Pacific Avenue office. Photograph ordered by Dr. A.A. Adams.

Medical offices--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Window display, Rhodes Bros. Department Store, ordered by Rhodes Bros. Just prior to Christmas Day, a window display at the downtown Rhodes Bros. Department Store highlights a fine selection of glassware and delicate evening wear. A small banner suggests thoughtful ideas for the last-minute shopper could be found in the Gift Department, fourth floor. Rhodes had been in business in Tacoma since 1892 and at their 9th & Broadway location since 1903. Their famous slogan was "All Roads Lead to Rhodes." Sixteen years after this photograph was taken, Rhodes closed the downtown store. It was spared the wrecking ball to become the University of Puget Sound Law School and later purchased by the State of Washington for office space. Photograph ordered by Rhodes Bros.

Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Window displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Mannequins;

Two mannequins are delicately posed in the storefront windows of Rhodes Bros. Department Store three days before Christmas, 1958. They are dressed in pink nylon gown sets whose prices apparently ranged from $14.95 to $19.95. To accessorize the gowns, soft slippers, creams, makeup and jewelry are displayed nearby. Christmas lights and gift boxes flank the window and help to illuminate the recessed display. Photograph ordered by Rhodes Bros. Department Store.

Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Window displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Mannequins;

Interior of Shipman Surgical Co., ordered by Ward Smith, Inc. Shipman Surgical Co. was managed by Horace R. Miller. Located at 741 Saint Helens Ave., it sold hospital supplies. A display of wheelchairs fills the front window and a dental chair is close to the front door. Numerous shelves are full of small containers, clocks and scales. Two desks with appropriate office equipment are in the foreground of the photograph. The floor seems to be outfitted in a practical linoleum.

Shipman Surgical Co. (Tacoma); Medical equipment & supplies; Wheelchairs;

ca. 1920. Copy made from glass plate, Richards Studio. Pedestrians pause on a wooden bridge to peer over the railings. They may be enjoying the beautiful water view but also may be watching the man under the bridge. He is hunched over, apparently looking for something. He does not appear to be in the water but on a narrow spit of land. The body of water is surrounded by trees and shrubs and a cluster of lily pads floats nearby. There is a possibility that this is a portion of Wright Park. Date of glass plate is not known, perhaps in the 1920's; copy was made on October 3, 1958.

Bridges; Lakes & ponds; Water lilies;

ca. 1910. Copy made from glass plate, Richards Studio. South 11th Street looking east. The steepness of South 11th St. is evident in this view from possibly the early 1900's. Traffic seems very light, with only a streetcar, one automobile and one man keeping pace with his team of horses. Tacoma would not experience parking problems in the downtown area for quite a few years. A glimpse of Peoples Store on the corner of 11th & Pacific can be seen as well as a meat market believed to be owned by William T. Dickenson further up on 11th. The Perkins Bldg., on A St., has flags flying. The Stone-Fisher department store, later known as the Fisher Department Store then the Bon Marche, is to the foreground, far right at the corner of Broadway and 11th. Copy made from glass plate on October 3, 1958.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1900-1910; Street railroads--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); Horses;

ca. 1915. Copy made from glass plate, Richards Studio. Looking east on South 11th St. toward bridge. Giant letters proclaiming "Municipal Light and Power, Cheapest in the U.S.," are painted on the 11th Street Bridge. Downtown Tacoma appears vibrant, with streetcars providing convenient transportation, and plenty of people on the sidewalks. Businesses located on or near 11th at that time included the Purity Lunch and the Warburton Apartments; signs for those can be hanging on buildings on the right side of the photograph. The Warburton was listed then on South "C" Street; this would become Broadway. The Perkins Bldg. is on A St. near the entrance to the bridge. Copy of glass plate made on October 3, 1958.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1910-1920; Street railroads--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); 11th Street Bridge (Tacoma); Bridges--Tacoma;

ca. 1910. Originally advertised as the "Great White Store on C Street", the five-story Stone-Fisher Department Store, at the corner of South 11th and Broadway, opened in February, 1906. This photograph from around 1910 shows the building's original facade as designed by Frederick Heath, with tall plate glass windows that could be protected by a giant roll-down awning. In the 1920s a seven-story addition was added to the building, and in 1925 the name was changed to Fisher Company. One of the most popular, and most successful of Tacoma's many department stores, Fisher's spent $500,000 in 1947 to remodel and modernize, including new fixtures in all departments. In 1952 Fisher's was taken over by The Bon Marche, and in 1964 it closed when The Bon moved to the Tacoma Mall. TPL-9913

Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1910-1920; Facades--Tacoma--1900-1910;

Copy of glass plate, Richards Studio. Hundreds of shipyard employees and visitors gathered on November 30, 1918, at the Todd Yards for the launching a vessel. Its name may be the "Jacona". Todd Dry Dock & Construction Corporation was a major shipbuilder with plants on the Hylebos Waterway. Todd went on to build more than fifty ships for the Navy during WWII. Copy of glass plate was made on October 3, 1958.

Launchings--Tacoma--1910-1920; Todd Dry Dock & Construction Corp. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1910-1920;

ca. 1900. Copy from glass plate, Richards Studio. The docks are teeming with people in an unidentified photograph dating back perhaps to the late 1890's or early 1900's. Men are dressed in suits and hats while the ladies are covered from top to toe. The large crowd may have been disembarking after a pleasure cruise. Copy from glass plate was made on October 3, 1958.

Passengers; Boats; Crowds;

ca. 1905. Copy made from glass plate, Richards Studio. People dressed more formally during the early part of the last century, even for a day at the beach. Women are strolling on sandy Owen Beach with hats, outfits that sweep the ground, folded umbrellas and handbags. Men wearing suits and hats are lounging on the bare sand. Even little children have on proper dresses and the ever present hat. In the background, crowds line the pier extending into the water; the Point Defiance Pavillion is adjacent to the pier. Copy made from glass plate on October 3, 1958.

Piers & wharves--Tacoma; Beaches--Tacoma; Point Defiance Park (Tacoma);

ca. 1910. Copy made from glass plate, Richards Studio. This is the Tacoma Lawn Tennis Club circa 1910. Stands are filled with well-dressed ladies, some under canopies, as they watch tennis matches. Some spectators are viewing the tennis from a bridge overhead; that bridge has now been demolished. There is a referee and two seated line judges as well as ball boys. Tennis outfits were quite formal in the early 1900's; women are dressed sedately in long skirts although the sole male player has on more casual attire. Copy of glass plate made on October 3, 1958.

Tacoma Lawn Tennis Club (Tacoma); Tennis; Tennis courts; Spectators;

Copy made from glass plate, Richards Studio. Imprinted on the photograph are the words "Emergency Fleet Corp., Todd Dry Dock & Construction Corp., July 20, 1918, Tacoma, Wash." WW1 was still in effect at this time. Todd Dry Dock was a major shipbuilder with plant and offices located on the Hylebos Waterway. They were also listed as engineers and boilermakers according to the 1918 City Directory with C.W. Wiley as president of the firm. Later, it appears that Todd Dry Dock may have changed its name to Todd Pacific Shipyards; it then became the largest single war producing unit in Pierce County during WWII with over fifty vessels built for the Navy. Copy of glass plate made on October 3, 1958.

Todd Dry Dock & Construction Corp. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1910-1920;

ca. 1958. Additional work had been done on C116559, image 1, to improve appearance of players manually added to the team's roster. This was the South End Boys Club baseball team sponsored by Stamey Insurance in 1958. They played in the Junior League of Metro Park's baseball program. Three boys apparently were not present at the time of the original photograph; the Richards Studio then cut and pasted their images into the group shot. Photograph ordered by Ben Cheney.

Baseball players--Tacoma--1960-1970; Baseball--Tacoma--1960-1970; Stamey Insurance, Inc. (Tacoma);

ca. 1928. A copy of this photograph was ordered in October of 1958 by the Cheney Lumber Co. In the photograph, the members of the "Decimo Club" posed in their basketball uniforms. It appears to date from around 1928; the "Decimo" Club participated in the City League basketball league that year. The player holding the basketball in the front row is believed to be Ben Cheney. In 1924, Mr. Cheney arrived in Tacoma from South Bend at the age of 19. He loved sports and participated in several, including basketball. He drew a cartoon for his 1920 South Bend High School yearbook of himself dreaming of basketball glory, but at 5'8" tall he did not play varsity basketball. His true skill was in business. In 1936, he bought his first lumber mill and began building the empire that became the internationally known Cheney Lumber Co. He donated generously to allow local children to have the opportunity to participate in sports. Ben Cheney died in 1971. (The Ben Cheney Story by Med Nicholson, The Sou'wester, Fall 2000)

Basketball players--Tacoma;

Two unidentified men engage in a bit of horseplay as they hoist large moose or caribou antlers. Their saddles, ropes and one gun rest on the ground with no horses in sight. They are still wearing sturdy leather chaps over their pants and boots. It is possible that they have just completed a successful hunt. Photograph ordered by Okla Homer Smith Furniture, Fort Smith, Oklahoma.

Antlers; Saddles; Chaps;

In November of 1958, in honor of National Book Week; William Garrison, Kathleen O'Larey and Ed Constantine (left to right) shared samples of their hobbies. The theme of the week was "Explore with Books." Mr. Garrison held up one of his watercolor paintings, Miss O'Larey her arrow head collection and young Mr. Constantine, his insect collection. Library books regarding these hobbies were stacked on the table before them, inviting further exploration of the topics. The Tacoma Public Library sponsored special displays, story telling, quizzes and contests in honor of the week long celebration. Photograph ordered by the Tacoma Public Library for promotional purposes; location of photograph unknown. (TNT 11-2-58, A-16)

Hobbyists--Tacoma; Collectors--Tacoma; Children--Tacoma--1950-1960; Garrison, William; O'Larey, Kathleen; Constantine, Ed;

The Presidential Suite at the Winthrop Hotel was used for a sales meeting for Marchant Calculators employees on November 13, 1958. Each table has at least one calculator on it. Employees are shown busily reconciling figures and assorted paperwork. Marchant Calculators was located at 2330 E. 11th St. and managed by Seymour L. Johnson, Jr. Photograph requested by Marchant Calculators.

Marchant Calculators (Tacoma); Calculators;

ca. 1950. Copy of customer print. This traffic sign off the side of a two-lane highway may have been used as target practice. Drawn-in arrows point to three different holes produced by three different bullets. The hole produced by the .38 caliber revolver appears to be the largest, followed closely by the .30 caliber rifle and the .22 caliber rifle. Other holes in the "Slow" sign are not identified. Date of original print is not known; copy was made on October 2, 1958. Photograph ordered by Condon Co.

Traffic signs & signals; Signs (Notices); Target practice;

ca. 1903. The contract to build the first steel bridge to span the Foss waterway at the foot of South 11th Street was let in 1894 and construction was completed in 1895 at a cost of $90,000. An article from the Tacoma Daily Ledger dated Feb. 1, 1895 stated: 'In its relation to the future greatness of Tacoma, the erection of the bridge is perhaps the most important public work since the first train came through the Stampede tunnel." In this view, dating from around 1903, long lines of employees from the many businesses on the tideflats stream across the bridge toward downtown Tacoma. The Pacific Starch Co. (far left) opened in 1903; it was the "largest starch factory in the United States." The first 11th Street Bridge was closed in 1911; it was replaced by the more modern, "vertical lift" Murray Morgan Bridge. ( Copy of glass plate made on October 3, 1958.) TPL-8743

11th Street Bridge (Tacoma); Bridges--Tacoma;

ca. 1890. This copy of an old lantern slide shows the original Annie Wright Seminary at 611 Division Avenue as it appeared around 1890. The large building, with its tall vertical proportions, steeply pitched roofs, towers and decorative shingles, appears to be in the Queen Anne style of architecture. The school, named in honor of the daughter of its benefactor, Charles Barstow Wright, opened on September 3, 1884, with a student body of 93 girls from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and one from Alaska. In 1924, a new school was built on a ten-acre campus a few miles west on Tacoma Avenue, and this building was dismantled. The site where it stood is home to Stadium Thriftway and the Chevrolet dealership recently purchased by Bruce Titus. ( Date of original glass plate may have been about 1890; copy made on October 3, 1958.)

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1880-1890; Private schools--Tacoma;

ca. 1905. Copy from glass plate, Richards Studio. View of South 11th and Pacific Ave., circa 1905. Streetcars once ran up 11th Street, an additional source of transportation besides the horse & cart and the occasional automobile. A few pedestrians are spotted crossing carefully as there are no visible "stop" signs for oncoming traffic. United Cigars, Tacoma Oyster and the Union Dental Co. are some of the visible businesses in a building on the corner of 11th & Pacific. That building was later demolished and the Rust Building constructed in its place. The building at the left foreground is the Equitable Building, 1102-04 Pacific. The Fidelity Building is on Broadway at the northeast corner of 11th. Additional stories would be added later. The tower on the County Courthouse is dimly seen to the rear of the photograph. Copy from glass plate made on October 3, 1958. TPL-9912

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1900-1910; Street railroads--Tacoma--1900-1910; Equitable Building (Tacoma); Fidelity Building (Tacoma);